µÛÍõ»áËù

Human Factors and Ergonomics is the discipline of designing products and systems to match the abilities of people in order to improve productivity, safety, performance, and user satisfaction.

Research

Our research focuses on two primary areas: aging and ergonomics, and the integration of safety with process improvement.

Current and recent projects include:

• NIOSH Training Project Grant in Occupational Safety 
• Assessing the Potential for Occupational Exoskeletons in µÛÍõ»áËù Manufacturing Companies
• Integration of Safety with Process Improvement for Sustainable Manufacturing (funded by the µÛÍõ»áËù Bureau of Workers’ Compensation)
• Ergonomic Evaluations of Solar Panel Installation
• Engineering Communication in the Workplace
• Development of an Accessibility Rubric
• Use of Lean Tools to Increase Teamwork Among Different Age Employees
• Development of Leading Indicators
• Use of Value Stream Mapping to Improve the Ergonomic Procurement Process

To view a list of publications, conference proceedings, thesis advised, presentations and other contributions, check out the publication page.

Equipment

Located in Stocker Center 290, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Laboratory is used for both academic and research activities. The lab contains multiple computers for student use. The laboratory’s equipment and software are listed below:

Equipment for Ergonomic Assessment and Teaching

• Force Gauges
• Biometrics DataLog
• Biometrics Goniometers (wrist, arm, and back)
• Surface Electromyography system
• Baseline 7-piece hand evaluation set
• Lafayette Anthropometers
• Digital Camera and Camcorder
• Extech Sound Level Meter (2)
• Extech EasyView Light Meter
• Extech Digital Psychrometer Kit
• Quest Sound Level Meter
• Polar Heart rate watches (4)
• Lafayette multi-function timer/counter
• Hand tools (for hand tool analysis)
• Stopwatches and measuring tapes
• Anatomical models (back, arm, hand, and knee)
• Usability and Graphics Software

Ergonomics and Analysis Software

• Minitab
• Michigan 3DSSP

Mission

“Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, school and the means of education shall forever be encouraged." – The µÛÍõ»áËù Ordinance of 1787, Article III.

In line with this ordinance, which helped established µÛÍõ»áËù, the mission of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Lab is to achieve excellence in teaching and research in the field of human factors engineering. We believe that education and research are synergistic activities that are to be seen together and not to the exclusion of one or the other. Our goal is two-fold:

1. to educate students so that they can apply the principles of human factors engineering to help people by improving products and systems
2. to conduct research and make contributions in the field of human factors engineering that will help people by improving the person-product/system interface